KAMILLE KLAIRE CARLOS

Reflection: Inconvenient Truth

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH is a documentary, an instrument of public education and talks about the problem of global warming in the earth and inspires people to take action to save the earth. This documentary centers on Al Gore, and his campaign to make global warming a recognized problem worldwide. Gore combines objective scientific evidence, humor and personal insights to create a powerful exploration of what he clearly believes is the most critical issue of this or any other time in human history.

The beginning of the documentary introduces Al Gore’s presentation on climate change, which consists of a research based on historical data and scientific studies that certify the existing danger of global warming. As a way of steering its audience’s attention on this subject, Gore exposes several impressive images of the Earth; photographs that were taken during important space missions. In addition to this, the Planet’s beauty and fragility is revealed and the former vice president claims that these photographs have provided people with a different perspective regarding the issue of preserving the nature by developing an environmental oriented behavior. Moreover, throughout the film, one can notice glimpses of political philosophy, as well as reflections from Gore’s childhood and excerpts that represented major periods of challenge and change from his life. I consider these glimpses as being relevant evidences of Gore’s commitment and dedication towards the issue of protecting the environment.
As the documentary unfolds towards the end, the former Vice President points out the importance that appropriate actions and combined efforts can have on successfully reversing the effects of global warming. Al Gore’s devotion to inform the world of the eminent danger that we might face in the future, catches one’s attention and his statement that action should be undertaken immediately, is a strong compelling argument. In this sense, Gore provides a striking conclusion:
“Each one of us is a cause of global warming, but each one of us can make choices to change that with the things we buy, the electricity we use, the cars we drive; we can make choices to bring our individual carbon emissions to zero. The solutions are in our hands, we just have to have the determination to make it happen. We have everything that we need to reduce carbon emissions, everything but political will. But in America, the will to act is a renewable resource.” From Gore’s statement, one can notice that although we are all responsible for the global warming, we are in the same time the only ones who can prevent this phenomenon from going even further. Taking this fact into consideration, we need to start living a sustainable life. A sustainable way of life can be attained by exploring the alternative energy sources, by making ‘environment protection and preservation’ one of our priorities in our day-to-day lives and by increasing awareness in our communities on the importance of recycling actions.
Therefore, as it is stressed by Gore also, the solution to stop pollution and global warming can be realized only through radical social change. Nowadays, there exist even more indicators that strengthen the fact that global warming is a real process which expands every year. Regarding this aspect, I can affirm that this film has convinced me of the disastrous effects that this phenomenon has on our planet and that every action taken by each of us can definitely change this situation. Every citizen on the planet can have an environmental-oriented behavior and can act in order to slow climate change before it is too late to be reversed.
In this sense I would personally affirm that a sustainable form of living is the answer to preserving natural resources and a healthy environment for our future generations. In fewer words only we can change the present and future condition of our planet, it depends on us whether we stand up and defend our planet by adopting a sustainable life.

Then, something popped in my mind at the moment. I can plant trees! I can tell my parents to minimize the use of air conditioner and even washing machine! Even though they are small in sizes, but maybe some day, it can literally come in big packages. As what they say, just have someone to start, and surely others will follow. We can prevent Global Warming if we can control ourselves from doing cruel things to our planet Earth. Proper wasting can help us. Planting more trees can prevent floods. And by cleaning our surroundings, we can make a better environment. So, what are we gonna do? Let us be united! Let's Stop Global Warming and Let’s try to save the place once we called HOME.

“Because doing the right thing, moves us Forward”. - Albert Arnold Gore